The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has announced a substantial £6.5 billion investment to enhance the rapid delivery of advanced complex weapons, such as the Storm Shadow, Brimstone, and Meteor missiles, to the Armed Forces.
This investment, formalised through the 10-year Portfolio Management Agreement 2 (PMA2) with MBDA, aims to counter current and future, according to the company.
This agreement extends a strategic partnership between the MOD and MBDA that began in 2010. The Complex Weapons Team at Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the MOD’s procurement arm, secured this deal, which has already resulted in approximately £2.6 billion in savings and enhanced the UK’s response capabilities during conflicts.
“The partnership with MBDA, signed with Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the MoD’s procurement arms, is expected to deliver new systems to the UK such as the Future Cruise and Anti-Ship Weapon, Land Precision Strike and continue the evolution of Meteor missile system. It will enable ‘always-on’ manufacturing, holding industry at a high-state of readiness to respond to defence demands. As part of this partnership, a further £500 million will be invested in British manufacturing and technologies.”
The deal aims to sustain over 5,500 jobs at MBDA UK sites in Bolton, Lancashire; Stevenage, Hertfordshire; and Bristol, alongside thousands more in the supply chain.
The newly appointed Defence Secretary, John Healey, announced the contract at the Farnborough International Air Show. Healey emphasised the importance of continuity in national security efforts: “Farnborough International Air Show showcases the best of British industry and how a vibrant industrial base keeps us all safe and contributes to UK economic growth. As Defence Secretary, I want to take the politics out of national security so where there is important work begun under the previous government, we will take it forward in the interest of national security.”
The Ministry of Defence say that MBDA has been instrumental in producing various complex weapons systems for the British Army, Royal Navy, and RAF.
These include the Storm Shadow, Brimstone, Meteor, ASRAAM, ASTER (Sea Viper), CAMM (Land/Sea Ceptor), and Sea Venom missiles. Future projects include the SPEAR Cap 3 for the F-35B Lightning II and a UK-French collaboration on the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapons (FC/ASW) for the Royal Navy and RAF.
Andy Start, CEO of DE&S, underscored the significance of the renewed partnership: “Renewing this partnership for a further 10 years means we can deliver battle-winning equipment to our Armed Forces, while securing thousands of UK jobs and delivering significant savings to the taxpayer. It is an excellent example of the value and importance of long-term strategic collaboration with our industry partners.”
MBDA has invested more than £550 million in the UK under the original PMA and plans an additional £500 million investment in British manufacturing and technologies under PMA2.
John Cunningham, Head of Complex Weapons, Strategic Programmes, noted the broader implications of the agreement: “This represents significant investment from MOD and supports our vision to deliver strategic influence for the UK, munition resilience, and battle-winning capability at pace, fit for the future. We are excited to enter a new phase of our complex weapons partnership with MBDA.”
According to the MOD, the PMA2 agreement incorporates a decade of learning, enhancing performance through improved commercial agreements, accelerated procurement processes, and continuous manufacturing readiness.
Crikey, It’s just raining good news here lately. 🙂
I think this is just a wrapper around a series of existing commitments.
That said this is very, very good news for the forces that new systems are coming on line and in quantity.
To be totally fair CAMM etc has been in development for a very, very long time. It has required a lot of nurturing to get it to where it is now. And it is capable of being upgraded an awful lot. It will be interesting to see how low the cost per shot drops to once some decent volumes are ordered?
Definitely think as you say it’s a wrapper. The six billion is existing contracts from what I can see. If it was new money they would be singing it from the rafters.
I wonder if this includes the rumoured £2billion for Meteor upgrade.
What are the proposed upgrades to it Jim.
The Japanese were going to put an AESA radar on it, but I haven’t heard anything else
possibly the clipped fins for f35?
Clipped fins already developed and tested. Tested on KF-21 including powered launch.
They’re a line replacement item, no other amendments to the missile required. Installed on the flight line by the armourers in a couple of minutes.
JNAAM is a test programme only. It finishes after the test. No production.
Basically, France and Italy threw their toys out of the pram about Japan and UK working together (remember Italy has responsibility for the radar seeker) and effectively khyboshed JNAAM beyond a test programme.
But…UK has also explored Meteor MLU and Germany has contributed some funds…basically it will be Meteor with AESA seeker…
That got canceled, Japanese are going to build their own missile. Meteor too expensive for them.
Amid all the poor defence decisions made by the coalition government in 2010, the long term complex weapons agreement with MBDA stands out as a clear success. The recent decision to save the cost of integrating Brimstone on our “new” Apaches- not so much.
I think Army just wanted to buy something that worked and was on budget with no fiddling.
I’d be surprised if that wasn’t totally army driven TBH. Keeping the Gucci and Good Ideas Clubs as far away as possible.
As it is, they have at least got the fleet they wanted on budget – which is something.
Probably correct. But we should try to back our own systems, not least to improve export potential.
If only they did the same with FRES 😀
I don’t know if it is a cut’n’paste error
“ investment to enhance the rapid delivery of advanced complex weapons, such as the Storm Shadow, Brimstone, and Meteor missiles, to the Armed Forces.”
But this does suggest that more Storm Shadows were ordered?
It’s not clear this this is new money / agreement or just extention of existing agreement. Isn’t shadowstorm being replaced in tbe near ish term, wouldn’t make sense for more orders. Plenty in stock to keep feeding Ukraine.
It reads like another £500m has been added to the existing agreement which has been extended, so probably the same terms as the original. £500m isn’t going to buy a whole lot of missiles, after maintance costs etc.
Stock levels on Storm Shadow need to be maintained…..we had ca 1,600 ordered right at the start of the program but have expended quite a few in training and in sandy places.
There was an upgrade plan for the later produced missiles.
The ones given to UKR were the ones not slated to be upgraded.
I suspect that new missiles are being procured so that the later non upgraded ones can be given to UKR.
Let’s face it they almost always get through as Mad Vlad’s scrap heap systems don’t seem very effective.
Wasn’t shadowstorm being replaced by the joint missile with france with planned first deliveries in 2028ish.
Yes it was.
Doesn’t mean that we can’t supply UKR with a missile they need and are happy with and works without risking our latest tech??
It is. Replaced by FCASW.
But…2028 is for land attack from VL systems on ships. Typhoon integration will be 2030+. F-35 ‘could’ be 2035.
Storm Shadow order was for less than 1,000 for the UK.
We probably have c450 left now of the MLU’d missile, MLU should have concluded or be very close to the end now.
We don’t really know how many have been gifted or expended in Sandy places or on training.
900 was the final production run but there were several runs before that and prototypes. RAF have always been very guarded about numbers as it was one of their prized assets.
Also some could have been quietly bought back from states they were sold to?
The total purchase is well known as it was reported to Parliament….as were expenditure of munitions in ‘sandy places’…you can look them up.
Total number was between 900 and 1,000.There was 1 production run only. That number includes those expended in tests both originally and for the MLU.
The only potential transferees are Saudi and UAE (with their Black Shaheen version).But is very doubtful that they will have parted with any as both have close relations with Russia through OPEC+ and are concerned about Iran at present. Italy has c150, Greece around 50. Italy ‘might’ contribute a handful…thats it I’m afraid.
Actually, if you look in Hansard it was with held.
Volume 389: debated on Tuesday 16 July 2002
“ Information on the cost of an individual missile would enable deductions to be made on the planned size of our Storm Shadow inventory. I am therefore withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to Defence, Security and International Relations.”
Volume 310: debated on Wednesday 8 April 1998
[Typo it is supposed to be quantity not quality]
“ The quality of Storm Shadow missiles being procured is currently classified and I am therefore, withholding this information under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.”
Would hope they will replace them but I’m realistic and with a new missile on the horizon, it seems unlikely.
Last release we had about 800 left. That was after first Ukraine giveaway.
I did hear that they were putting investment in to reopen the storm shadow production line so they can supply Ukraine and rebuild Uk stocks.
I hope ‘always on’ manufacturing doesn’t mean no stockpiling..
They would have to have a fair few in storage just in case the stuff hits the fan.
It would be madness to hope that we can build new stock during a conflict where the places that manufacture the weapons could possibly cease to exist.
I would expect at least a few months supply at whatever number they consider a fairly high intensity to be.
The NATO requirement is/was 30 days worth of stocks.
Can’t tell if that’s very optimistic or very pessimistic..
Well 1 BR Corps thought they could fight for 8 days fighting at full strength and 2 days at a reduced strength, and predicted they would use the entire 30 days stock in that 10 day period.
This was when it was accepted that tactical nuclear weapons would be used, whereas I suppose that isn’t necessarily going to be the case now.
Excellent news. Hopefully it will all survive the SDR. Meanwhile though, no support for Harland and Wolfe and no gaurantee for Tempest.
Just been listening to the BBC coverage and it’s “the Government refuses to help the Famous Harland and Wolfe Shipyard where the famous Titanic was built”.
Heart strings all being pulled, but this is a saga that will run on a while and I would put money on the Shipyard coming out of it much healthier and not run by a Holding company with zero shipbuilding experience.
What it should say is Government refuses to risk tax payers money to pay off a massive US loan taken out at 14% by “Harland and Wolfe Holdings” (formerly infrastrata) because no one else would lend them any money and underwrite all their future loans.
Or in plain English, HMG not playing ball with a holding company, allows the process to run and someone cuts a deal with the Administrators.
Absolutely. They have guaranteed work in the offing. Creditors need to take a haircut…
I hope you’re right and I do take your point about the loans. It’s just another hurdle dumped in the way of FSS and maybe MRSS. I don’t know who else is going to build them, that’s the problem.
Kier Starmer gave as much guarantee on GCAP as a PM could.
It’s safe as houses as its covered by a Treaty….and commercial agreements that are already signed. No way out of it now. Or AUKUS.
Navy and Air Force were sensible….Army weren’t as ever, rumours that Ajax is still not sorted….so they’re in the s**t with the new government.
The Army is playing catch up with new best buddies Germany but they shot themselves in the foot when they pooled out of Boxer.
The British army has always been terrible at vehicle procurement and it’s never had an industrial strategy unlike the other two services.
If it’s safe as houses he only needed to say that and not go into politospeak.
Starmer opened Farnborough yesterday and went to have his photo taken in front of the GCAP mockup. I think there was an element of damage control.
We’ve had three years of committment and now we haven’t. I don’t like it.
Slightly OT, but feel ok with Healey as def sec, and think the review has some big hitters on it, who want the best for the armed forces. It’s the direction of travel of the new government that is worrying….
It’s the realism of the Army in particular that is worrying….
It’s likely they were one of the sources asking for AUKUS or GCAP to be cancelled….absolutely stupid stuff. And all so that they could have more money to squander on US defence contractors….there are rumours that Ajax being well was off the mark…
Truly Ajax is well off the mark
The wrong vehicle cut and pasted into a bodge with all the weight of a heavy goods vehicle fully laden …but with little of the utility even of its bastard mother ASCOD
A very apt description! 😉
Let’s just hope this kinda talk transfers to Tempest in the Ssdr